Cherokee County deputy fired, arrested for allegedly misusing Flock cameras, sheriff says

A Cherokee County deputy is the latest member of Georgia law enforcement facing charges for allegedly misusing Flock license plate readers, officials say.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office says that 57-year-old Jerry Shellhouse of Waleska was fired and arrested on Wednesday after an investigation.

According to authorities, the charges come after the sheriff's office became aware of an allegation that an employee could have improperly used the county's Flock Automated License Plate Reader system between October 2023 and December 2025.

Shellhouse is charged with a felony count of violation of oath of office and one misdemeanor count of prohibition on law enforcement retaining license plate data obtained through automated license plate recognition systems.

The deputy's arrest comes months after Cherokee County charged three other employees for allegedly misusing the system.

The agency says that it has updated its Flock policy to include multiple audits a year, limited access to authorized users, and additional training on using the technology.

"The actions taken in this case, along with the three arrests earlier this year, make our position unmistakably clear: misuse of this technology will not be tolerated," Sheriff Frank Reynolds said.